Dedicated circuits for the generation of windows in image processing architectures

A formal methodology for the design of window generator circuits is proposed. The methodology focuses on the design of optimised dedicated structures and allows to exploit modularity for evaluating design alternatives and cost/performances trade-offs. The discussed architectural model is based on a suitable mathematical representation (called transformation) of a generic window generator circuit and allows both a global and a modular design style. Such features are used to design a library of universal functional blocks allowing to synthesise any type of window generator circuit. The architectural model is evaluated by implementing the functional blocks and by synthesising in VLSI technologies a set of representative window generator circuits. The trade-off between cost and performance of the synthesised window generator circuits is presented and discussed.